Marry My Dead Body

In a story that blends elements of supernatural folklore with modern crime investigation, Gingle Wang portrays Lin Tzu-ching, a dedicated policewoman working in the vice department, and Greg Hsu brings to life Wu Ming-han, a police officer with a strong aversion to both ghosts and homosexual themes. The film opens with Wu Ming-han, who is diligently investigating a case involving a car crash. During his evidence collection, Wu inadvertently picks up a red envelope, a traditional symbol often associated with entrapment into ghost marriages, a ritual believed to unite souls beyond death. This seemingly accidental act sets a haunting chain of events into motion.

The envelope’s supernatural significance becomes clear when it unexpectedly summons the ghost of Mao Mao, played by Austin Lin. Mao Mao was a young man who was actively discussing marriage with his boyfriend before tragically dying in an accident. His grandmother, portrayed by Wang Man-Chiao, grieved deeply over her grandson’s passing, especially because he was never married. Driven by her sorrow and traditional beliefs, she devises a plan for Mao Mao’s ghost to enter a ghost marriage—a practice intended to ensure the deceased’s peace in the afterlife. She convinces Wu Ming-han, despite his initial disbelief and reluctance, to perform this supernatural union, believing it will help both Mao Mao and her family find closure.

Much to Wu’s bewilderment and trepidation, he soon discovers that Mao Mao’s ghost is entirely real. The ritual officiant, a Taoist priest, reveals that Wu shares a past-life connection with Mao Mao, which necessitates solving his murder to break free from this spiritual bind. As the story unfolds, Wu struggles with his revulsion towards being married to a ghostly partner, but circumstances compel him to cooperate. He attempts to find ways to escape the marriage, but Mao Mao’s spectral presence persistently remains by his side.

Despite his resistance, Wu teams up with his partner Gingle Wang, who plays Lin Tzu-ching, to tackle a larger, more complicated case involving a dangerous crime syndicate. Wu begins to unlock clues that lead to a major breakthrough in their investigation, but his unique ability to perceive things that only Mao Mao’s ghost can see results in him being pulled from the case—faced with skepticism from his colleagues and disbelief about his supernatural insights.

A turning point occurs when Wu and Mao Mao confront Mao Mao’s ex-boyfriend, leading to an emotional exchange between the ghost and the living. The young ghost articulates feelings of longing and unresolved grief before peacefully flying up into the sky, an act symbolizing his potential reincarnation or spiritual transition. Not long after, Mao Mao reappears with a warning: his spirit senses danger, revealing that Wu’s superior officer is secretly an informant working for a local crime gang. Mao Mao’s warning proves vital as Wu, Mao Mao, and the police team storm a major operation, leading to a fierce gunfight with the gang.

During the chaos, Wu manages to apprehend his boss, but a revelation begins to surface—Mao Mao realizes that he misheard a crucial part of the information. It is not his boss but Lin Tzu-ching herself who is the true informant, planning to frame others for the crime lord’s murder. This revelation causes a rift, leading Lin Tzu-ching to evade capture, leaving her former colleagues to handle the gang and the chaos alone.

In the aftermath, Wu sustains fatal injuries during a confrontation with the gang. As Mao Mao’s ghostly existence begins to fade due to his spirit being torn between dozens of possessed bodies, he faces the imminent possibility of vanishing forever. Mao Mao’s father appears in a heartfelt scene, sharing memories and expressing feelings that reignite Mao Mao’s spirit, revitalizing his will to move on to the afterlife. With emotional finality, Mao Mao departs, his spirit ascending as the film closes, leaving Wu with a lasting memory of his spectral partner.

Wu Ming-han, now scarred but wiser, continues his life, often reflecting on the unusual case that intertwined love, death, and justice. His journey highlights themes of redemption, the power of human connection beyond the grave, and the importance of understanding and compassion in facing the supernatural.